


Newly Single? Not Necessarily.

by vigilantesinthedark



Category: Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare, Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Is Sassy, Break Up, Clary And Izzy Are Really Gay, F/F, F/M, Getting Together, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm Sorry For How Awful These Tags Are, Jace Is Too, Jace Tries And Fails To Be Cool, M/M, Minor Clary Fray/Jace Lightwood, Minor Simon Lewis/ Isabelle Lightwood, Not That Much Of Either, Simon Isn't Even In This But He's Mentioned So I'm Tagging Him Anyways, this is my first work on AO3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-25
Updated: 2016-02-25
Packaged: 2018-05-23 02:15:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,654
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6101454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vigilantesinthedark/pseuds/vigilantesinthedark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sebastian and Valentine's deceptions left permanent scars on Jace and Clary's relationship. Neither of them can see past it. Yet, both are hopelessly in love-</p>
<p>But not with the other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Newly Single? Not Necessarily.

**Author's Note:**

> First work on AO3. This is kind of exciting. So... I'm sorry for how bad the summary is, and for how awful my tags are. I hope you all enjoy this! 
> 
> I'll leave you to your reading now.

"I just don't know anymore Izzy."   
Clary was starfished out on Isabelle's bed in the Institute, while Izzy did her nails. 

"About what Clar?" Isabelle looked up at Clary while talking- still painting her nails flawlessly, because she was Isabelle, and she was just that good. 

"Jace." 

Izzy looked at her sympathetically once she said it. Izzy understood immediately that Clary was going to have a lot to unload from that word alone. It was one of the things Clary loved- no no, strongly liked- about her. Love was too strong a word, they both had boyfriends. It would be crazy to be in love with Isabelle right? Clary honestly didn't know anymore. 

"Clary? Clary!" She found perfectly manicured nails snapping in her face. She must have zoned out majorly staring at Izzy. 

"I'm sorry what?" Clary's cheeks turned as red as her hair. 

"Are you going to tell me what about Jace- other than the fact that he's him- that's bothering you, or are you going to keep staring at me the way someone who hasn't eaten in a month looks at food?"

Isabelle was joking- Clary could tell from the twinkle in her dark eyes- but nonetheless, she turned even redder, if that was even possible. 

"Oh, ummm.... sorry." Clary turned her head around. "It's just that... even after so much time knowing we aren't siblings, it's still weird to me to be close with him knowing that we thought we were at one point. Like, every time I see him that's all I can think of."

"Clary." That was all Isabelle said. Just one word. Just her name. No advice to follow, just 'Clary'. Yet it still made Clary's heart flutter. 

Isabelle paused for a moment to think. Clary could see the wheels turning in her mind. 

"Clary, you need to do what you think is right and what you want." She emphasized the you's. "If things are weird for you because of the tricks Valentine pulled, you need to tell Jace. Whether you want to break it off and stay friends, stay together, or anything else, you guys need to talk about this."

This was the exact reason Clary had come to Isabelle in the first place. To avoid breaking this awkward topic to Jace. She was scared of how he'd take it, so asked Isabelle, because she'd give advice that would help Clary avoid talking about it with Jace. 

Hesitantly, Clary started her next question. "What if he thinks I'm crazy for thinking that?"

"Clary." Again with the way Izzy said her name. Somehow the way it rolled off her tongue made Clary's heart pound, practically audibly. "Jace won't judge you for that."

"How can you be so sure?" 

"Because I know him. He's my brother and under all those layers of sarcasm and wit is a big heart. Under that is another layer of sarcasm and general assholeishness, but he does have a heart and won't be super rude to you for this."

Isabelle smiled at her joke, and that itself set Clary off laughing. Isabelle was just so pretty especially when she smiled like that, it just- No Clary! Don't think about how hot Isabelle is right now, you're trying to solve your Jace problems. 

"Anyways," Izzy continued. "He loves you and wouldn't be that mean to you. And finally, I know he'll be okay with you talking to him about this, because much like you are now, he's come to me to talk about it before."

"Thank you Izzy. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Hopefully you won't have to Clary. Now go talk to Jace, and don't come back until you have." Isabelle fake shoed Clary out her door. 

Clary moved to hug Isabelle in thanks. 

"Ah ah. Be careful with those nails missy." Isabelle's joking smile was more radiant than the sun to Clary. "They're still not dry, and there's no nail polish drying rune yet." She looked pointedly at Clary as if telling her to get right on that. 

After a few seconds, Izzy just laughed and pulled Clary into a massive hug. Before Clary realized what was going on, and that she was hugging the girl of her drea- her friend- Isabelle had pushed her out the door. 

-

If Clary had to place a bet on where Jace was when he wasn't with her or hunting demons, she would always say the training room. So that was where she went. Sure enough, Jace and Alec were sparring with full weaponry. She didn't want to interrupt them- last time she'd done that, a throwing knife had cut off a lock of hair as it landed in the wall, too close to her head for comfort. 

Alec was the first to see and acknowledge her. "Hey Clary," he grunted, dodging a blow from Jace. 

When Jace heard her name from his parabatai, he turned immediately. Alec took it as an opportunity to sweep his legs out from under him. Jace was sent flying to the ground in Clary's direction. 

"Clary, hi," Jace said, as if everything was perfectly normal. 

Clary was too busy joining Alec in doubling over laughing at Jace's horrible attempt to regain his pride to say anything. She quickly sobered up as she remembered what she'd come to talk to him about. 

"Anyways," Alec intervened. "I'm going to go before I make a bigger fool out of Jace than he's already made of himself. 

As Alec left the room, Jace grumbled something, but as he was lying facedown on the floor, Clary couldn't quite make it out. 

"So, did you come to talk to me about something, or just to watch your incredibly sexy boyfriend TOTALLY KICK ALECS ASS!" Jace raises his voice so Alec could hear him as he walked away. 

"SURE YOU DID JACE." Alec called back. 

"Yeah, actually. I needed to talk to you I mean." Clary knew she was fidgeting and talking too fast, but she couldn't help being nervous. She hoped Jace wouldn't pick up on it. 

"Okay, you sound kinda nervous, you need to sit down?" He definitely picked up on it. 

"Umm, it's kind of important. Is there anywhere more private we could go?"

Jace quickly picked up on the fact that she didn't want to talk about it until they were alone, so he went along with it. "Yeah, I know just the place. Follow me."

-

"To be clear, you're not pregnant right? Because Jocelyn and Luke would hunt me down to the ends of the earth if you are." Jace shivered, as if imagining it. 

From where she sat, perched on an uncomfortable chair in the far back of the Institute Archives- so dose back that most people didn't know this area existed- Clary laughed nervously. "Definitely not. And them hunting you to the ends of the earth is you getting off lucky. I'd get lectured until my ears fell off."

Jace laughed, but Clary could tell it was more of a pity laugh then genuine. "Okay, we're both off the hook from Luke and Jocelyn torture. So what is it you need to talk to me about?"

"This is probably going to sound crazy, but it's just- I can't - it's you. It's me. It's us."

"Well, that was definitely specific."

"It's about Valentine and what he did to us- making us believe we were siblings and everything."

The smirk fell off of Jace's face. He knew this was a serious topic for both of them- and that it wasn't the time for sarcasm. 

"It's just that," Clary continued. "Every time we do something coupley, I see him telling us we're related. But that wasn't too bad. Then Sebastian came into the picture, and he was my real brother, and he had control of you for so long- and it all just comes into my mind when we do anything together, and I don't know if I can deal with it any longer."

He paused to gather his thoughts before responding. "Clary, I've been feeling similar."

Jace thinking she was nuts for feeling that way, Clary was prepared for. Him feeling the same way, and possibly wanting to break this off mutually? That was a wild card straight out of left field. "Really?"

"Yeah. Since we got out of Edom I've been having weird dreams, and they've started messing with how I feel. I'm actually really glad you brought it up first, or I never would have." He gave her a smile that, back when they'd only just met, would have made her swoon. 

"So where do we go from now? Neither of us feel the way we used to, and so much has changed and-"

"Clary," Jace interrupted, moving his chair so they were looking right at each other. And what was it with people saying her name like that today? "I'm pretty sure you're thinking the same thing, but I'm thinking we stop."

"Stop?" Clary hoped he only meant stopped dating, because she still wanted him in her life as a friend. 

"Stop dating. We stop being 'Jace and Clary' and start being 'Jace' and 'Clary'. Separate."

"Like, never talk to each other again separate?"

Jace visibly winced. "By the Angel Clary, no. I need someone to save my ass from dangerous situations I put myself in way too often to completely cut you out of my life. Let's just stick with being friends."

"So we act like brother and sister?" Clary looked at Jace expectantly to see how he'd take her joke. 

He just groaned. "Too soon Clary," he said, amused. But if you're going to be my sister, I need relationship advice."

"Woah there Jace. We broke up two minutes ago and you're already moving on," Clary laughed. "But seriously if you want relationship advice, go to Izzy. That's so not my forte."

Jace pretended to stroke his imaginary beard as if pondering. "You see I would, but it would be awkward to ask her how I ask out her ex boyfriend."

That came at a surprise to Clary. Jace had always acted like the straightest straight boy to ever straight, but apparently he wasn't. At least he wouldn't judge her for liking Isabelle then. The only problem would be that she was dating Simon. And she didn't want to hurt him- he was her best friend. 

She tried to play it cool to help Jace. "So you want some action with Meliorn? Guess I wasn't the kiss you truly desired in the Fae realm."

"Ha ha." He was being sarcastic, but she could read the humor in his eyes. "But no, I was thinking more Simon."

That was a plot twist. Jace had never shown any signs of being attracted to- or even liking Simon. But that wasn't the issue on Clary's mind. "ISABELLE AND SIMON BROKE UP?!?!"

"Shocker, right? I'm not sure what happened, but Iz told me recently. That leaves Simon very available for a different Lightwood."

Trying to cover up her shock, Clary quickly spat a witty retort. "Yeah. He and Alec had some serious chemistry going." 

"Oh you know what I mean." Jace must seriously like Simon to be getting this defensive. 

Clary barely registered what he said though. She was to busy thinking about how this solved the problem of Isabelle and Simon dating. So Isabelle was very available. And since she and Jace had just ended things...

"Yes I suppose that would leave room for you and Izzy in the picture." Jace had gone back to stroking the beard he didn't have. 

"Wha- How'd you- did I?"

"Calm down Carrottop. You just said it out loud. But now you can't get on my case for seeing the silver lining in their breakup."

"I wasn't-" 

Jace clearly had other things on his mind when he jumped in. "Yeah yeah, that's great. What do I do about Simon?"

Clary smirked. "Direct aren't we? I'd say just be blunt."

Jace started to bounce his leg, seemingly a nervous tick. "What if I scare him and he doesn't like me back? Or he's straight? Or-"

It was Clary's turn to cut in. "One, he does like you back. He's told me. It's obvious anyways. Two, Simon is far from straight. To paraphrase Magnus, he's a- how does it go?- a 'freewheeling pansexual'. And if you don't just want to up and say it, flirt with him a little. Not obviously, just enough to confuse him. Then go for it."

"Go for it meaning...?" Jace wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

Clary shuddered. "Get your mind out of the gutter! I meant either tell him or maybe kiss him. Not that! Eugh. Those are images I'll never unsee."

"Just wanted some clarification. Now, I'm going to go try that. And in the meantime, I believe you have the other half of what was formerly 'Sizzy' to start dating."

"Thanks Jace." Both sarcastically and genuine. Clary got up and headed back to Izzy's room. 

"Anytime 'sis'," he said, putting air quotes around sis. 

"Oh and Jace!"

"Yes Clary?" 

She looked back as she left the Archives. "Before you use my genius plan to win Simon over, take a shower. You just finished training before we had this conversation and you really stink."

He uttered a reply- no doubt sarcastic- but Clary didn't hear it as she was practically running to Isabelle's room. 

-

"Izzy!" Clary was full on running to the other girls room. Jace hadn't told her definitively that Izzy liked her back, so Clary was running on hope that she did, all the coffee- black like her soul- she'd drank that morning, and definitely the fearless runs she'd hastily applied on the way. 

She was definitely going to be needing the fearless rune. Isabelle was one of her best friends, but she was VERY intimidating. Clary ran into the room, thanking Raziel that Isabelle had left the door open, otherwise she'd have crashed into it. 

Isabelle was at her vanity pondering what color polish to use on her toes. She looked up suddenly when Clary appeared, panting after the dead sprint she'd made to Izzy from the Archives. 

"Did you talk to Jace?" 

"Yes," Clary breathed out. After regaining some of the breath she lost on the run, she continued. "We decided to break things off. The feeling was mutual."

"Well," Isabelle started, as she twisted the cap off of a nail polish bottle. "That makes two of us newly single. Simon and I did the same thing."

"Not necessarily," Clary said, feeling the fearless rune kick in. She was going to do it. 

Isabelle turned to her, face portraying confusion. "What do you mean?" 

Here goes nothing. "First, put that bottle down and come over here." Clary hoped she wasn't visibly shaking. 

Looking even more confused, Isabelle walked over. Having taken off her stilettos to paint her toes, she was barefoot. Still, she was almost a head taller than Clary. 

"I'm here," Isabelle said, standing right in front of Clary. "What does this have to do with me not being single anymore?"

Clary licked her lips, staring at the taller girl. Now or never. "This."

Confidently- once again, thank you fearless rune- Clary grabbed Isabelle's shoulders by the straps of her dress and pulled her down into a kiss. 

-

Clary couldn't have been happier. Alec was at his loft with Magnus, Jace had taken her advice and was out at Taki's with Simon, and Maryse and Robert were in Idris on Shadowhunter business, so she and Isabelle were alone at the Institute. Because of her height, Isabelle was the obvious big spoon, and Clary was nestled right up with her. 

Turning her head, Clary pressed a kiss to her girlfriends lips. The fearless rune had faded, and with it, Clary's need for it to kiss Isabelle. For right now, Clary could ignore everything else in the world in favor of her. And so she did.


End file.
